Buddhism teaches that the mind encompasses the entire universe. When we change our innermost state of mind, our whole being changes, and this affects the world in which we live. This is the teaching of the oneness of life and its environment, and the principle of a single life-moment possessing three thousand realms… Everything starts with a strong determination.

One's true worth as a human being is not a matter of outward appearance or title but derives from the breadth of one's spirit. Everything comes down to faith and conviction. It is what is in one's heart and the substance of one's actions that count.

Life possesses the mysterious power not only to transform the negative into a neutral state but to go beyond that to achieve a positive state…we overcome the suffering of sickness and in so doing even the experience of sickness enriches our lives and makes them more worthwhile, providing the material for a great drama of fulfillment that unfolds day after day.

In accordance with the Buddhist principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life [the all-encompassing nature of each moment], pessimistic thoughts or feelings take form, just as they are, in reality, producing negative results. People who have negative thoughts create effects for themselves that perfectly match their own think­ing.

To lead a life in which we are inspired and can inspire others, our hearts have to be alive; they have to be filled with passion and enthusiasm. To achieve that, we need the courage to live true to ourselves. Rather than borrowing from or imitating others, we need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action out of our own sense of responsibility.

We need to cultivate a state of life where we can thoroughly enjoy ourselves at all times. We should have such joy that even at the time of death we can declare with a happy smile: "That was wonderful! Where shall I go next?" Faith enables us to attain the kind of generous and all-embracing state of mind where we enjoy everything in our lives.

Much human misery arises from people despairing over things that despair cannot help. We should not worry about things that no amount of worrying will resolve. The important thing is to build a golden palace of joy in our hearts that nothing can disturb—a state of life like a clear blue sky above the storm, an oasis in the desert, a fortress looking down on high waves.